Cliff and Anita Marshall would like to express their appreciation and gratitude to all our friends, supporters, and the media over this holiday season. We wish you all a safe, happy, healthy, and joyful holiday.We especially would like to thank Chief Jim Schwartz of the Marshall Police Department, Assistant Michigan Attorney General David Tanay, Assistant Michigan Attorney General Dennis Pheney, Calhoun County Prosecutor Susan K. Mladenoff, Assistant Prosecutor Dan Buscher, D/Sgt Scott McDonald, and D/Sgt. Mike Scott of the Michigan State Police along with all the members of their investigative team. We know you are working full time to solve the disappearance and murder of their daughter, Mary Denise Lands and doing everything possible to close this case.
Unfortunately, this is now the 6th holiday season that the Marshall's have not known the fate of their daughter. December 12, 2009 will mark 5 years and 9 months since Mary's former fiance, Christopher Luke Pratt claimed that she walked away from their Waldon Pond Apartment. 44 hours later he called the Marshall's in California to ask if Mary was there?
Inmate Christopher Luke Pratt has now been in prison for 2 1/2 years as a result of his convictions for crimes of felony domestic violence against a more recent girl-friend. As you all know, he was sentenced in January 2008 to 5-15 years and his first opportunity for parole will be in February 2012.Michigan Department of Corrections- Inmate Christopher Luke Pratt, # 673261 http://www.state.mi.us/mdoc/asp/otis2profile.asp?mdocNumber=673261
Each year I publish this photograph of Inmate Pratt holding his favorite Christmas stocking. It is a perfect example of his narcissistic and sociopathic personality. As he now sits in the St. Louis Correctional Facility, at Level IV he claims to family that he has found God and writes letters to many people with rambling bible scripture. This is obviously all part of a plan to lead on the Parole Board that he has changed and been rehabilitated. This evil person can never be rehabilitated, and if he is paroled will commit more crimes and continue to place our community and its citizens at risk. Let's fill up Inmate Pratt's stocking with one thousand letters to the State of Michigan demanding that he be kept in prison. If he truly has found God then perhaps he will tell law enforcement officials where Mary can be recovered? Only then will he begin to genuinely display remorse, empathy and contrition for his crimes. We continue to urge decent Pratt family members and acquaintances to come forward and provide that final piece of the puzzle. Some of you indeed can provide those answers. For those in the Pratt family who are suffering from recent tragedy, we wish you comfort and peace.
With or without the help of Inmate Pratt we will bring Mary home and our efforts, and those of law enforcement will not cease until she is recovered and laid to rest.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all.
